Air compressor



Allg. 27, W' U GRlFFlTHS I AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Sept. 18, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet l Jui@ (m6 M2M/n 7 Qt/Jam@ WMM @www Patented Aug. 27, 1935i UNITED STATES PATPJISJTv OFFICE. i;

Am COMPRESSOR l William U. Grilths, Philadelphia, Pa. Applicationseptember 1s, 1933, serial No. 689,839

Y 'z claims. (o1. 23o-91) greater capacity than the water inlet isprovided -with a float actuated discharge valve arranged to be opened bythe float when the water reaches the desired level in the container, andthe air pressure therein isk relieved. The container is provided with avalve controlled air intake and a valve controlled air outlet throughwhich air is expelled as the container lls with Water. In

such'apparatus the air intake is ordinarily pro-Y vided with a iioat'actuated valve, the oat being so arrangedas to open the valve when thewater reaches the desired height in the container. In order that thevalve controlling the air intake may not close during the period ofwater dis.- charge from the container, it is essential that some meansbe provided for holding the air intake valve in its open position duringthe time that the water discharge valve is open.

One of the principal objects ofthe present invention is the provision ofimproved means for ysimultaneously holding the water discharge valve andthe air intake valve in open positions. A further object of theinvention is the provision of improved oat actuated means forretainingthe water discharge valve in open position. -A

still further objectof the invention is the provision of improved iioatactuated means for hold- .ing the air intake valve in open positionduring the period of water vdischarge fromthe container. Still furtherobjects and advantages of the improvement will be apparent from thefollowing description, taken with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: Y

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of airpumping and compressingapparatus embodying one .form o'f'myimprovement and showing the posi- Anair outlet 20 in the upper end of thecon- Itainer is controlled by acombined float and check Fig. 3 isja detailed sectional view showing thewater discharge valve in open position;

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. l but showing amodified form of water discharge valve and float operated means for re-5 taining' the water discharge valve and the air intake valve in openpositions; y

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view showingthe closed position of themodified form of water discharge valve illustrated in'Fig. 4; and 1 10Fig. 6 is a plan View of the water discharge -valve shown in Figs. 4 and5.

As I have illustrated the `same herein, `my improvement is embodied in acontainer yI 0 having a water inlet Ii preferably located in the bottom15 portion thereof and so arranged as to provide a continuous flow ofVwater under pressure. -The bottom of the container is provided witha'suitable nipple I2 forming a water outlet having a greater capacitythan"v the water inletinjorder 2O that Ywater maybe'discharged when theoutlet is opennotwithstanding the continuous flow of water intothecontainer. -The water voutlet I 2 is provided with a discharge valve I3having an elongated valve stem or actuating rod I4 Vex- 25 tendingthere-below through a guide I5Y supported by spider arms I6 extendinginwardly from the Water outlet I2. The valvestem I4 exiktends verticallywithin the container VIii and has its upper end freely slidable in aguide member 30 Il projecting inwardly from the container wall.V l Amain float I8 for opening the Water discharge valve I 3 is slidablymounted upon the valve actuating rod I 4 between two spaced stopmembers,

such as Cotter pins I9. 5

Valve 2 I vwhich cooperates with the valve' seat 22 toprevent thebackward flow of air from the air `storage tank through the air outlet`pipe 23, and ,40

.provided with'an air intake 25 extending through the side wallthereofand connected to any suitable'source of clean, freshair The inner end ofthe air intake 25 is bent upwardly and is controlled by a pressurerelief and air intake valve 25 secured to a valve actuating lever 21,one end 50 of which is pivoted to a bracket S28 extending outwardly fromthe air intake pipe, and the opposite end vof which carries'a'float 29Whichserves to open theair intake valve when the water reaches thenecessary height inthe container. rAs 5-5 shown herein, the upper end ofthe valveactuatf notwithstanding the lowering of the water level in thecontainer, and consequently the air intake valve 26 will be held in openposition when the actuated rod I4 is in elevated position. To insure theclosing of the. air intake valve when the actuating rod I4 movesdownwardly, it is preferable that the plate 3D be out of contact withthe oat 29 when the actuating rod is in its lowermost positon, as shownin Fig. 1.

In order to retain the watei` dischargevalve I3 in open position andalso retain the air intake valve 26 in open position during the periodofdisi charge of water from the container, a latch 3 I Y is pivoted at itslower end upon a bracket 32 extending outwardly from the water outletI2, and this latch is -provided intermediate its length with 'arshoulder33 for engagement beneath an extended portion 34- on the edge of thewater discharge valve between two oppositely arranged guide Vmembers 35,as shownV in Fig. 3. The extreme upper end of the latch 3 I is providedwith a transversely-bent portion 36 which serves to prevent unduemovement of the water discharge valve in anupward direction. vSecured tothe latch'3I` isa fioat 3'I which tends to force the latch inwardlytowardthe water discharge valve whereby theinclined portion 38 thereoftends'` to Vhold the discharge valve'closed during ythat portion of thecycle of operation of Vthe device when air is being expelled therefrominto the storage tank. l As the level of the Water'lowers to the bottomof the container during the period'of water discharge the latch float 3lis permitted to drop, thereby disengaging the shoulder 33 of the latchfrom beneath the water discharge valve and permitting this valve to moveinto its closed position.

As will be clear Vfrom Fig. v1 of the drawings,

vwhenthe water discharge valve is in its open position and is retainedtherein by the float actuated latch 3|, the elongated valve stem I4 islikewise held in its raised positon with the plate 30 thereon inengagement with the upper float 2o to thereby hold the air intake valve25 in open position. vThe latch float therefore serves the purpose ofretaining boththe water discharge-valve I3 and the air intake valve 25in their open positions during. that portion of the cycle of operationofthe apparatuswhen water is being discharged therefrom. Y

In the modified form of'apparatus shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, thewaterldischarge valve 39 is pivotally mounted intermediate the ends ofalever 40 one end of whichl is pivoted to a bracket 4I extendingoutwardly from the water outlet I2.

The opposite end of the lever 40 has pivoted'theretothe lower end of anelongated valve actuating rod 42 upon which the main float I8 isslidably mounted.

` In this modification Vof the' device the latch 43 for retainingthe'water discharge valve 39 in open position isi provided withanfincline'd edge 44 againstwhich the free end of the vvalve operatingVlever 40 contacts, and this inclined edge tends to retain the waterdischarge valve in closed'position under the influence of the float 3lto which the latch is secured. As the discharge valve 39`is raised bythe main float I8 theupper end of the latch 43 engages `beneath the freeend of the lever 40, as'shown in Fig. 4, and thereby retains the valvein open position until the level of the water in the container lowerssufficiently to permit the iloat 31' to drop.

The manner in which the float actuated latch 43 illustrated in Figs. 4,5 and 6 operates to retain the air intake valve 26 in open position doesnot differ'essentially from the operation of the float actuated latch 3|disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and heretofore described, and furtherdescription thereof is therefore omitted.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown the relative positions of thevarious parts of the device during that portion of the cycle ofoperation when air is being expelled to a storage tank through the airoutlet pipe Y23 and the level of the water Yin the the container I0 hasrisen sufciently to lift the iioat I8 to the limit of its movement onthe valveactuating stem I4 but has not risen sufficiently to lift thefloat 2S and thereby open the air intake valve 2G. When the level of thewater in the container rises sufficiently-to lift the float 29 andthereby open the valve 26,v the air pressure in the container isimmediately relieved by the escape ofair through the air intake 25. Withthis decrease ofr thear pressure within lthe container, the buoyancy offloat I8 ,is sufficient to lift the Water discharge valve I3 against thepressure thereon and the pressure exerted by the inclined edge of thefloat-operated latch. The discharge valve I3 lis retained in openposition'by means of the float operated latch, and this latch alsoserves to retain the yvalve 26 in openposition during'the period ofwater discharge by reason of the engagement of the plate 30 on the upperend of the valve stem I4 with the float 29. The valves I3 and 26`areconsequently held in their open positions until the level of the waterin the container falls sufciently tolpermit the float 31 to drop andthereby disengage the latchfrom the water discharge valve. At this pointthe water Vdischarge valve moves to its closed'position,A carrying withit `the valve stem. I4 and the plate 30, whereupon the oat v29 ispermitted to drop and thereby close the valve 26. Inasmuch as water isflowing into the container continuously through the water inlet` II.the'level of the water in the container-begins to rise as soon as thewater discharge valve moves into its closed position,v and the waterlevel continues to rise until it reaches such a height as is necessaryto operate the float 29, whereupon the cycleY of operation continues asabove described. Fig. 4 of the drawings shows the relative positions lofthe vwater ydischtll'ge valve vand the air inlet valve during the periodof water discharge, and it will be noted that the float operated latchnot only serves to, retain the water discharge valve in open positionbut also operates, through the valve actuating rod and the float 29, toretain the valver26 in Yopen position, both valves being retained inopen position until the water level lowers in the container sufficientlyto permit the .oat actuated latch to be disengaged from the waterdischarge valve.

While I have disclosed herein two forms of water discharge valve andcooperating latching means, it will be understood that other changes maybe made in the device without departing lfrom my invention so long asthese changes come top thereof, and a'combined air outlet and inletcharge valve for said Water outlet, a float connected to said dischargevalve for opening the same, an air inlet valve, a float for opening-saidair inlet valve, means controlledby the movement of said discharge valvefor holding said air inlet valve open when said discharge Valve is inopen position, and a float mounted in the bottom of said container forresisting opening movement of said discharge valve and holding the samein open position.

2. An air compressor comprising a container having a Water inlet, aWater outlet in the bottom thereof, and an air inlet and an air outletin the top thereof, a check valve in said air outlet, a discharge valvefor said water outlet, a valve stem secured to said discharge valve and,extending upwardly therefrom, a float mounted for limited longitudinalmovement on said valve stern for opening said discharge valve, an airinlet valve, a float in the path of movement of said Valve stem andconnected to said air inlet valve for opening the same, float actuatedmeans for resisting the opening of said discharge valve, and floatactuated means for holding said dischargervalve in open position.

3. An air compressor comprising a container having a water inlet, awater outlet in the bottom thereof, and an air inlet and an air outletin the top thereof, a check valve in said air outlet, a discharge valvefor said water outlet,`a valve stem secured to said discharge valve andextending upwardly therefrom; a pair of spaced stops on said valve stem,a float mounted for longitudinal movement on said Valve stem betweensaid stops for opening said discharge valve, an air v inlet valve, afloat for opening said air inlet Valve, and float actuated means forholding said air inlet valve open when said discharge valve is in openposition.

4. An air pumping apparatus, the combination of a container haviner aWater inlet, a water outlet in the bottom thereof, and a valvecontrolled air inlet and a Valve controlled air outlet in the topthereof, a -discharge valve for said air inlet, a float for opening saiddischarge valve, a latch pivoted in said container adjacent saiddischarge valve for holding the latter in open position, means on saidlatch for resisting the opening movement of said discharge valve, and aoat member on said latch for actuating the same.

5. In air pumping apparatus, a container having a water inlet, a wateroutlet in the bottom thereof, a check Valve controlled air outlet in thein the top thereof, a valve for controlling the combined air outlet andinlet, a float in the top of said container for opening and closing saidValve, a oat in the bottom of said container, and means between thelatter oat and the com'- bined air outlet and inlet valve to retain saidvalve in open position Afor the admission of air throughthe airinlet.

6. In air pumpingV apparatus, a container hav-` ing a water inlet andawater outlet in the bottom portion thereof, an air outlet in the topportion thereof, and a'combined air outlet and inletl in thev topportion thereof, a check valve in said air outlet, a'valve for thecombined air outlet and air inlet, a oat in the upper portion of thecontainer and connected to said last mentioned valve"for opening andclosing the same, a discharge valve for said water outlet, an operatingrod extending from said discharge valve to the upper portion of saidcontainer, guide means for said rod, spaced stops .on said rod, a iloatslidably mounted on said rod between the said stops, a latch mountedadjacent said discharge valve for holding the same in open position andsaid operating rod in raised position, a float secured to said latch foroperating the same, yand means on said operating rod for holding thecombined air outlet and inlet valve open when said rod is in itsraisedposition.

7. In air pumping apparatus, a container having a Water inlet and aWater outlet in the bottom portion thereof, an air outlet in the topportion thereof, and a combined air outlet and inlet in the top portionthereof, a check Valve in said air outlet, a valve Ifor the combined airout- Lil] end pivoted to said lever, guide means ior the Y upper end ofsaid rod, a float slidably mounted on said rod between spaced stopsthereon, a iioat pivoted adjacent said lever, means on said float kforengaging with said lever to hold said dis- WILLIAM GRIFFITHS.

